written and posted by members of Lancashire Dead Good Poets' Society

Saturday 11 July 2020

Who Let The Louts Out?

If you live by the sea as I do, with golden sands on your doorstep, you've probably marvelled through the months of lockdown at how clear the sea had become and how beautiful the beaches have looked with hardly a soul astir. It's almost as though the natural world has been enjoying three well-earned months of recuperation. All that changed on the recent bank holiday week-end.

Of course lockdown had been difficult. Of course people would feel a sense of  release  at its grip being loosened (release being the given theme of this week's blog, by the way) and naturally they would want to get outdoors in large numbers to celebrate their freedom.

Perhaps it was  inevitable that they would drive for hours in their tens of thousands to their nearest beach, cars loaded up with picnics and booze; inevitable that they'd congregate looking like bandits in Bermuda shorts or sporting the season's must-have three-piece-bikinis, with kids, babies, dogs in tow; hardly surprising that social distancing guidelines went out the window and barely a patch of sand remained unoccupied.

Fair play to all of that behaviour (providing a second coronavirus spike doesn't result). But did they have to leave such an utterly disgusting mess on our beaches in their wake?

At the end of a day on the beach.
On the sandy stretches of the south coast - where one local council declared a major incident as a result of the over-crowding - those released day-trippers left behind them thirty tons of rubbish - just dumped it and left as though it was now suddenly acceptable behaviour in a beautiful public place. Hence the only slightly tongue-in-cheek title of this post. What made them think that somehow they've been released from all responsibility to clear up after themselves, to leave the scene as clean as they'd found it?

The same was true on many beaches around the country, Blackpool's included, and it was left to council workers and bands of community-minded volunteers to clear the whole lot away in the days that followed - minus the large quantities that had already washed away to pollute our coastal waters. The news footage was truly shocking; the irresponsible behaviour of so many people even more so.

Freddie Barnard is credited with the phrase 'a picture is worth a thousand words' and the one above certainly does speak volumes, but I'm a writer and poet so I must do it my way. Billy Collins said 'a poem doesn't have to tell a story', but I'm afraid this one has to. You've perhaps guessed it's going to be another oblique polemic on the selfish society. I don't name-check the Dominator (aka Dominic Cummings) specifically, but many of those thousands mentioned above have used his actions as an excuse for their short-sighted own. Poor show. Release the rant and let it roll...

Never Mind The Three-Piece Bikini
They came, they sprawled, they concurred
that a beautiful beach was the perfect place
to cast off the shackles of lockdown, called
each to each with scant regard for any rules
of social distancing how great it was to be
free, in the sun, having some overdue fun,
counting on economic sense for clemency.

Hours of alcohol later, picnics gorged and
masks discarded long since in the sand,
they went. Some crawled, all concurred
that it didn't matter a shit-in-a-burger-box
if they just left their trash on the strand,
bottles, bags, plastic, glass, nappies, the lot,
flouting every sense of common decency.

When did they learn to be such utter louts?
Clapping for key workers didn't absolve
their leaving behind their toxic calling card.
Is taking your crap home with you so hard?
Mother nature loves her children. However,
at times like this, she could happily clout
the little bastards for their mindless flagrancy .

Thanks for reading. Feel free to share. Please take your rubbish home, S ;-)

30 comments:

Richard Keeton said...

Not thoughtless, deliberate.

Margi Murphy said...

Disgraceful!!

Ben Templeton said...

A totally valid rant. I remember you once used the phrase 'collective irresponsibility'. It's sickening to see and I thought your poem nailed it. If I were Mother Nature I'd be kicking some of my brats out!

Shirley Matthews said...

Very well constructed poem x

Rod Downey said...

I saw the news reports and the photographs after that week-end. It was quite shocking. Same around Anfield after the impromptu celebrations. Your piece is well-written and I sense you almost tipping over into invective at the crassness of people who think that is acceptable behaviour. I echo the comment above as I thought the poem was thought-provoking and very well put together.

Tony Hodkinson said...

Notice how no one ever owns up to it but looking at that load of crap there must be lots of mindless morons in our society.

Grant Trescothick said...

This was heart-breaking to read and it's an important issue to keep awareness of. It seems to me to be a combination of the worst of consumerism coupled with a growing lack of personal responsibility. I thought your poem was very good, maybe too subtle to bang the message home to those who need to heed it.

Pamela Winning said...

Great blog and poem. I am disgusted by the behaviour of some people for all the reasons you've mentioned and I despair. 🙁

Wilf Brooks said...

Excellent Steve, and sums up the whole problem with the peoples who populate our wonderful country these days. It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a beach, a park, a riverside or a beauty spot, it's just the same kind of feckless individuals who care nothing for the environment or for other people's enjoyment. A sad state of affairs.👍

Colin Hawkswell said...

That picture reminds me of those gruesome shots of Indonesian beaches covered with plastic waste. It's hard to imagine such utterly appalling behaviour in England but we've all seen it now. How do we teach people that this is unacceptable? Cajole? Legislate? Shame? We'll not save the planet at this rate. It makes me very angry.

Boz said...

I went to Anfield la. Wasn't going to miss that release for anything. I didn't add to the litter though. BTW great title for your poem :)

Anonymous said...

Saving the planet one discarded face-mask at a time. Some people are unbelievable. That was a top rant Mr. R and a damned fine poem.

Peter Fountain said...

Modern life really is Rubbish!

Deke Hughes said...

Another forceful piece of writing Steve, and a wittily crafted poem. Do I get a prize for spotting the Caesarian pastiche in the triumph of the louts?

Anonymous said...

Inexcusable behaviour. The same when the fast food places re-opened - litter everywhere. You called it right, the selfish, lazy bastards.

Lesley Harrison said...

You can understand people feeling let off the leash, but the mess they left behind just beggars belief. It would be nice to think it's a one off. I think if I lived near a beach and saw that I'd want to strangle them too!

PJ said...

Looks just like the aftermath of a BLM or XR protest, that. ;)

Unknown said...

Well said.Will we ever be able to shout loud enough.Laura Colville

Mac Southey said...

Another good solid piece Steve and a well-turned poem. I saw the comment from 'PJ' above and I remember the claims that Extinction Rebellion had left tons of litter behind in London after their protests, illustrated with shocking photographs. It turned out to be fake news. The photos were real but not taken in the aftermath of XR protests. XR being a conservation lobby have an policy of cleaning up after their events. This was just a crude attempt to discredit them. Some people need to give their heads a wobble.

Nigella D said...

We are used to holidaymakers being messy at our seaside resorts and I suppose with so many people flocking to the beaches the available bins became full, but as you observed, how difficult would it have been for them to take their rubbish away in that case? It looked as though thousands just decided it was ok to leave it all lying in the sand and walk away. That's the truly shocking thing and your poetic rage is quite justified in my opinion. Well said Steve.

Christine Sharland said...

Hate this kind of scene where people have enjoyed nature but dont care to look after it.............Its hypocritical. Do they want it like this when they next visit? Take your litter home!!

Bickerstaffe said...

Volunteer groups have been helping to clear up the mess. It really looks like the nation has divided into thoughtful and thoughtless tribes. Your poem is very good, makes its points with wit and passion - but won't get to the people who need to heed it.

Tom Shaw said...

We are used to seeing piles of trash after ball games and gigs and festivals - but all over a beautiful beach? That's a shitty thing to do. Stay well man.

Lina Gulhane said...

We thought of going to the seaside on that week-end but were put off by the reports of so many people and long queues. I am so pleased we stayed home. I like your poem a lot.

Anonymous said...

As your poem suggests, people need to grow out of their selfish ways. I'm losing patience with litter louts and would like to see wardens and fines imposed. God, I'm sounding so right-wing!

Billy Banter said...

I see Leeds fans are the latest to just dump their trash on the streets. Delinquents!

Dennis Parker said...

Some people are rubbish but this is not a new phenomenon. What's different this time is that lots of public toilets are closed becauase of coronavirus so people piss in the sea or dump their excreta in bags and boxes, as you say. Absolutely filthy and so inconsiderate.

Michael Venn said...

Disgusting and thoughtless behaviour everywhere you look these days. Discarded masks are just the latest. Selfish infancy is right - people need to grow up and have a sense of responsibility for others and the environment.

Bill Turner said...

I'm totally with your rant. Also, I think the poem's great - clever title and some brilliant lines... 'Hours of alcohol later', 'didn't matter a shit-in-a-burger-box', 'bastards in their selfish infancy'. Cracking stuff!

Nick Ball said...

No general sense of social responsibility in this country. It's also a reason why Covid keeps on spreading. Contrast with Sweden where they never locked down, they just behaved sensibly and with social responsibility. It will take us decades to breed that into the British. Oh, and great poem btw.